ONE set of match-changing errors can be considered unfortunate. Two, and it begins to become more of a worry. Three in the space of four matches, and it’s fair to begin to question what on earth is going on.

This has not been a good month for Kieran Trippier, Newcastle United’s talismanic full-back whose sudden dip in form has been all the more remarkable because of the quality of the body of work that has preceded it in the last two years.

Against Everton, Trippier erred twice in the closing stages, losing the ball to Dwight McNeil, who went on to score the Toffees’ opener, before also serving up possession to Jack Harrison, who duly crossed for Abdoulaye Doucoure to double the home side’s lead. Three days later, and it was Tottenham’s Son Heung-min getting the 33-year-old in a tailspin, with the South Korean twice breezing past Newcastle’s right-back to set up Spurs’ opening two goals in their 4-1 victory.

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Last night, at Stamford Bridge, Trippier was supposed to be having a rest, but when Emil Krafth was unable to continue beyond half-time because of a gash on his leg, the defender was promoted from the bench. Two minutes into stoppage time, and he was heading a routine cross into the path of Mykhailo Mudryk, who was left with the simple task of slotting home the equaliser that took the Carabao Cup quarter-final to penalties. Come the shootout, it was Trippier who was the first to wobble, rolling a desperately-poor spot-kick wide of the left-hand post.

Anyone can have a difficult few matches, and thanks to his efforts since joining Newcastle from Atletico Madrid, Trippier certainly has plenty of credit in the bank. As a result, he will almost certainly remain in the side for Saturday’s league game at Luton Town, with his team-mates and manager determined to rally around him.

“Tripps is an incredibly strong character,” said Magpies head coach Eddie Howe. “As I’ve said many times, he was a transformative signing, and someone who has taken the group on to a totally different level. He’s been the heartbeat of that, so when he’s given us so much, now it’s our turn to support him and look after him the other way, and that’s what we’ll do.”

Nevertheless, it is worth examining why Trippier is suddenly making the kind of mistakes that have rarely blighted his game throughout his 13-year senior career.

Is age simply catching up with him given that he turned 33 in September? Is he a victim of Newcastle’s relentless workload in the first half of the season? Last night’s game was his 27th of the season for club and country, a schedule that has inevitably made huge physical and mental demands on a player who takes pride in being at the heart of whatever his team is doing, both on and off the pitch.

The majority of Trippier’s mistakes in the last month have been the result of lapses in concentration. He has looked like a player who could do with a rest, but while he missed last weekend’s win over Fulham because of a suspension, Newcastle’s ongoing injury issues mean he will almost certainly have to dance every dance during the packed Christmas schedule. Things will begin to ease up a bit in January, but by then, he really could be running on empty.

It is also worth remembering that Trippier was forced to withdraw from the last England squad because of “personal matters”. The exact nature of those matters was never disclosed, but if he was, or is, suffering from ongoing issues in his personal life, it makes it easier to understand if his on-field performances have suffered.

As one of the most popular and influential figures in Newcastle’s dressing room, he can count on the support of his colleagues, who are convinced it will not be long before he starts to turn things around.

“It’s football,” said Magpies striker Callum Wilson. “People go through difficult times and difficult spells. I’ve been through that myself – I think this (at Chelsea) was my first goal in five or six games.

“It happens. Tripps is a fantastic player, a fantastic person and professional. He was one of the first to join us after the takeover happened, and that showed his commitment and dedication to the club, and we’re very grateful for that.

“He’s been a rock at the back since his joined, and times like this are what happens. People make errors in matches. It is what it is, and we win together and lose together. We all make mistakes on the pitch, it’s just in my position, they often don’t lead to a goal because it’s so high up. Defenders have that difficult job on the fine line, but Tripps is a top man and he’ll move on quickly from that.”